Catchphrase
by beeftony
Summary: The team experiences a rare moment of downtime, which Megan uses to try and endear herself to Superboy. But a certain phrase of hers causes that plan to backfire.


The sun rose to its peak over Mount Justice, leaping out from behind the clouds to cover Happy Harbor in its warm radiance. Water shimmered as it traveled to the beach where it beat gently against the shore before heading out to sea again.

It was a scene of peace and tranquility that was utterly lost on the six individuals who had elected to stay inside the massive compound that once housed the Justice League. One of the many follies of youth is the belief that if you've seen one beautiful vista, you've seen them all.

M'gann M'orzz, or Megan Morse as she was known here on Earth, wasn't particularly interested in the local landscape anyway. Her eyes were focused on the one member of this ragtag group that was as alien as she was, possibly even more. The one person she could identify with.

The one person who didn't seem to notice she existed.

He acknowledged her, of course, but only as a teammate. Even though they lived in this mountain together, she hardly saw him except when attending official team functions or on missions. They certainly never spent any time alone together.

It wasn't her fault, she reasoned. When Superboy had first been thrust into civilization after growing to the physical age of 16 years in just as many weeks in a chamber 52 levels below ground, he had regarded everyone around him as passing distractions; objects in the fog. And that was when he wasn't violently lashing out at them like some overgrown toddler throwing a temper tantrum. He had gotten better at socializing, but for the most part he preferred to isolate himself, as if he sensed his strangeness and wasn't sure how to make himself fit with the rest of society.

And that, she supposed, was what attracted her to him. What little she knew of Earth before joining this team was gleaned from watching their media. She had seen enough of it to be recognize how horribly common her situation was in fiction, but that didn't stop her from secretly pining after the one member of the team who was least likely to return her affections without severe prodding. Nothing is a cliché when it's happening to you.

The lack of a current mission found the team relaxing in the kitchen/living room combo located a few dozen yards away from the central chamber where they trained and received assignments. The place had originally been spartan and professional, as the Justice League had left it, but several weeks in the hands of teenagers had transformed it into something different. Robin and Wally had smuggled in a television and game system and were using it to beat each other's in-game avatars senseless. Kaldur and the mysterious archer known only as Artemis sat on the couch next to them, watching their contest with reserved amusement. That left her and Superboy in the kitchen alone.

"Something on your mind?" she inquired while telekinetically stirring the dough for a fresh batch of cookies she was preparing, trying to suppress the thoughts that came surging up once she noticed who he was staring at.

He glanced at her and frowned. "You mean you don't already know?"

She smiled weakly, trying to disguise the pain she felt at that accusation. "Hey, I only read the bad guys' minds, remember?"

"Right, sorry." He turned his gaze back to Artemis. "I'm not sure I trust her."

"What's not to trust? She helped save Dr. Roquette, remember?"

"And she let the assassin get away," he shot back, then looked at Megan again.

The spoon clattered against the rim of the bowl as she momentarily lost concentration. "Superboy, how can you say that? I'm sure she did everything she could."

"The assassin left her mask," he reminded her. "And I have super-hearing, remember? Her heart sped up and she wouldn't look at any of you when she explained herself."

Megan frowned. She had sensed an aura of hesitation around their new teammate, but hadn't thought much of it. "And you think she was lying?"

He nodded.

She paused for a second, then wrinkled her brow. "Wait, you were in Gotham. How'd you know about that?"

"What part of _super_-hearing don't you get?"

"Okay, I guess you have a point there," she replied, chuckling. She bopped herself lightly on the forehead. "_Hello_, Megan!"

Superboy bristled suddenly, but said nothing. She frowned, but decided against reading his mind to find out what was bothering him. No doubt that would only anger him more. Besides, it was rude.

"So," she continued, trying to keep the conversation going as the spoon began moving again, "why haven't you told the rest of the team about this?"

"Because I'm hoping she was just embarrassed over losing sight of the assassin," he revealed. "I can only detect when someone _might_ be lying. It's not a guarantee. And like you said, I wasn't there."

"Oh. So you're giving her the benefit of the doubt?"

"You might say that. But I'm keeping a _very _close eye on her." With that, he disappeared into the living room.

She stirred the cookie dough some more before pouring it onto the baking sheet and telekinetically moving it into the oven, taking care to set the timer so she didn't burn them like her first attempt. One thing she took great pride in was the ability to learn from her mistakes.

Once the cookies had started baking, she floated over to the living room to see that Robin was completely dismantling Wally despite the latter's most frantic attempts at button-mashing.

"Dude, this is so unfair! How are you beating me? I'm faster than you in more ways than one!"

"Yeah, but I've got skill on my side," the Boy Wonder responded. "Besides, you're hitting those buttons so fast half of 'em aren't even registering until it's too late. You gotta hit 'em in the right order." He followed up on that statement by unleashing a super combo that lit up the entire screen and ended with Wally's character losing the rest of his life bar.

"Graaah!" he shouted, hurling his controller at the ground as he stood. "That's it, you hacked this game before we started playing, didn't you?"

"Pfft, that kind of thing is beneath me," Robin dismissed. "Besides, it's so much more fun to beat you fair and square."

"Whatever, you're still the guy who's so good no one wants to play against you!"

"And yet you keep coming back," he replied smugly.

Wally's only response was to mutter something inarticulate under his breath.

"That's enough," Kaldur interjected, always the voice of reason. "A virtual victory is of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. Do not allow Robin's skill to frustrate you."

"That's just a fancy way of saying 'It's only a game,' isn't it?" the speedster translated, whirling around and pointing accusingly. "The only people who say that are the ones who don't play."

"I do believe I called the next round," he rebutted with a smirk.

"Yeah well I... argh!" He threw his hands up in defeat. "Why am I only witty when it comes to the bad guys?"

"Wait, you mean to tell me you actually _are _witty on occasion?" Artemis chimed in. "Where was I for this?"

"You just haven't been part of the team long enough!" he fired back, jamming a finger at her. "I've got some really great lines!"

"I've never heard any either," mocked Robin, clearly hoping to aggravate him further.

Wally howled at the ceiling.

Megan giggled at her friend's impotent rage and glanced at Superboy, who had allowed himself the slightest of smirks. Whatever seemed to have been bothering him earlier was gone. She slapped herself on the forehead for thinking it was ever cause for concern. "_Hello_, Megan!"

As soon as she uttered that, the frown returned and he turned away from her. She frowned. "What?"

He glared at her. "_Why _do you keep _saying_ that?" he demanded with a sudden ferocity none of them expected. The group was stunned into silence for a moment.

"I..." she began meekly. "It's my catchphrase. Am I not allowed to have a catchphrase?"

His features softened as he apparently realized his error, but she wasn't done yet.

"I mean, everyone around here has their quirks, right?" she continued, letting out a dissonant chuckle. "I mean, you're always brooding and angry, Robin's got that thing where he obsesses over prefixes and Wally's always imagining me in his bed."

"Hey, I thought you weren't supposed to read our minds!" Wally protested.

"She doesn't _have _to," Artemis quipped, smirking.

"Oh _ha_, ha."

"Why are you bringing this up so suddenly, Superboy?" inquired Kaldur, standing up. "Is something bothering you?"

To his credit, Superboy appeared utterly ashamed by his outburst. "It just... annoys me. I'm... not very good at expressing myself."

"Got that right," Megan practically whispered before turning around and floating down the hall.

"Dude," Wally remarked as they watched her go.

No further words were required.

* * *

"Megan? Megan, I'm sorry."

No reply. He squinted his eyes and the door separating them seemed to evaporate away, revealing a very sad Martian sitting on her bed with her head bowed. He frowned.

"I didn't mean to be so rude earlier. Please come out."

Still nothing. What was her problem, anyway? Nothing she did made sense to him, not even after sharing this mountain with her for weeks. Of course, socialization in general was completely new to him, what with only being alive for about six months. Still, the G-gnomes had taught him basic social conventions in that time, so he really shouldn't be having this much trouble figuring out how other people worked.

Then again, she _was _from another planet.

"Look, I've said I'm sorry. What more do you want from me?"

'_Go away_.'

Superboy clutched the sides of his skull and growled. How dare she! And after she'd promised to stay out! He drove his fist into the wall beside her door.

"I told you not to do that!" he roared, then immediately backpedaled when he realized that his outburst had likely scared her even more. "Wait, I didn't mean—" He glared, changing his mind again. "You know what? Forget this. I don't care if you ever talk to me again."

He was five stomps away from her door when Artemis suddenly blocked his path, arms crossed and sporting a scowl on her face.

"Out of my way," he ordered.

The archer rolled her eyes. "You two are really starting to annoy me, you know that?"

Superboy glared. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You both keep dancing around each other until either she makes things awkward or you yell at her over something stupid. Just get it over with already."

"Get _what _over with?"

She chuckled. "You really don't see it, do you?"

"See _what_?"

"Can't believe I have to spell it out for you," she continued, shaking her head. "Look, you wanna know why she's crying in her room when none of the rest of us would be?"

He nodded.

"It's 'cause she spends every moment she's around you looking at you like Wally looks at her. Albeit in more of an innocent schoolgirl kinda way."

Superboy's face contorted in bewilderment. "What are you _talking _about?"

"I'm just saying she values your opinion a lot more than the rest of us do," she explained, leaning against the wall. "You went and criticized something that she only does to try and fit in around us, and, well..." She gestured toward the closed door.

And suddenly he understood. "How do I fix it?"

"Allow me," she replied, walking past him and knocking on the door. "Hey Martian! Don't worry about Superboy. He's only mean to you because he _likes_ you!"

Superboy stiffened considerably at that remark and turned around to confront her, but Artemis had vanished without a trace. He was certain he could track her down easily enough, but before he got the chance, the door opened.

"Is that true?" Megan asked rather meekly, her hands clasped in front of her.

"I..." he began, but couldn't bring himself to finish. "I suppose so."

"Oh." Her face lit up for some reason and she smiled. "That's good. Because I... like you too, Superboy." She giggled nervously and her cheeks grew red.

"So... what does that mean for us?" he asked after a moment.

"I don't know," she responded, brushing her hair behind one ear. "What do you want it to mean?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

They stood there awkwardly for several moments.

"I'd better... go check on my cookies," she suggested. "Don't want them burning again." She hit herself on the forehead a little harder than usual. "_Hello_, Megan!"

A pause.

"Sorry."

"It's alright," he insisted, shaking his head. "I don't mind it."

She smiled hopefully. "Really?"

Superboy nodded, but said nothing.

Another awkward silence.

"I should go do that now," she said, starting to move past him.

"Right," he agreed, turning to let her pass. A few moments passed and she still hadn't moved. "Are you going to...?"

"Oh to hell with this," she muttered before practically slamming him against the wall and planting her lips on top of his.

Surprise. That was Superboy's reaction summed up in a single word. He could have easily shoved her off with the flick of a finger, but something about this gesture put him under a spell. The G-gnomes had never told him about this. It felt... good. Amazing, even.

Even though their lungs performed far beyond the limits of mere humans, even they had to come up for air eventually. When they did, he voiced his question. "What was that?"

Megan giggled, still pressing hard against him. "A kiss, silly."

"Oh. What about your cookies?"

"Forget the cookies," she insisted, moving forward to claim him once more.

This continued the rest of the afternoon.


End file.
